Kiln car lubrication system



June 13, 1967 L. c. MAIFELD KILN CAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec;

INVENTOR Leon C. Muifeld A NEY H June 13, 1967 KILN CAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 29, 1964 s She ts-Sheet- 2- INVENTOR Leon. 6. Maifeld BY wyw , ATT NE y I... C. MAIFELD 3,324,969

June 13, 1967 L. c. MAIFELD 3,324,969

KILN CAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM Filed Dec. 29, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Lmamll m 9 ET Q I m 9 w. E a w b 0, X3- 53 g '21 INVENTORQ Leon 0. Maifeld ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,324,969 Patented June 13, 1967 3,324,969 KlLN CAR LUBRICATION SYSTEM Leon C. Maifeld, New Orleans, La., assignor to American Radiator & Standard Sanitary Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 421,899 9 Claims. (Cl. 184--1) This invention relates in general to transfer and furnace car construction and to a method and device for lubricating furnace cars, and in particular to a new and useful lubricating device which is incorporated on a transfer car and which includes means for lubricating the furnace car which is carried thereby before the furnace car is delivered to the inlet end of a furnace.

The present invention relates in particular to a method of lubricating furnace cars of a type which are adapted to carry materials through a furnace in which high temperature drying or treating is carried out. It is usual that cars of this nature are provided with wheels which run over tracks which extend through the furnace. The furnace cars are usually loaded with articles such as ceramic materials which are to be baked in the furnace as the car is moved therethrough. Because of the very high temperatures which are encountered in the furnace it has been found, that the lubricant in the bearings of the car Wheels will soon break down or become dried out. When cars employed with furnaces operating at extremely high temperatures, it is usually necessary that the wheel bearings be filled with a lubricating material after each run through a furnace. In many instances this is overlooked or the lubricant is not added in sufiicient amounts and it is only a short time before the bearings become completely worn out requiring costly repair of the furnace car.

A normal procedure for handling cars which are moved into furnaces with articles to be treated therein is that the cars move into, through and out of the furnace along a track that extends parallel to the axis of the furnace. They are transferred from such a track onto a track defined on a transfer car which runs along a transfer car track which is substantially perpendicular to the furnace axis. After the furnace car emerges from the furnace it is moved onto the transfer car on the exit end of the furnace and delivered to an unloading track. Another transfer car which runs on a track which extend substantially perpendicular to the furnace axis but on the inlet side of the furnace picks up the furnace car from the unloading track and delivers the furnace car to the furnace after they have been reloaded.

In accordance with the invention, the transfer car which is arranged to run over the track which is adjacent the inlet of the furnace is provided with a lubricating system for automatically adding lubrication to the bearings of the wheels or the axle of the furnace car as the transfer car is moved to position the furnace car in alignment with the tracks extending into the furnace.

In accordance with the preferred method of the invention, the furnace car is first delivered onto the transfer car and the transfer car is moved along its track. While the transfer car is being moved, the furnace car is connected to a lubrication system carried on the transfer car and lubricant is directed to its bearings. In a preferred method, lubricant is directed to the bearings under pressure at fixed time intervals regulated by the speed of movement of the transfer car along its track and the spacing and number of cam elements.

The apparatus of the invention advantageously includes a lubricating system carried by the transfer car which includes cover or disk elements which are moved inwardly to engage each respective end of each axle of the furnace car after the latter has been positioned at a predetermined location on the transfer car. In a preferred arrangement, the disk members are automatically moved into engagement with the axles when the car is moved to a position to trip a switch member to initiate the movement of the disk members under response to a control system such as a hydraulic pressure system.

Camming devices or tripping elements are advantageously arranged at spaced locations along the transfer car tracks at a location to energize control switches for causing the flow of lubricant through the disk members and suitable openings provided in the axles of the furnace car into the bearing of the furnace car. The lubricating system advantageously is operated under fluid pressure, such as air pressure, which is cut on and off in response to the movement of the transfer car, so that at least several separate lubrication injections will be made as the transfer car is moved.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of lubricating a furnace car which comprises directing the furnace car onto a transfer car and moving the transfer car toward a furnace into which the furnace car will be directed, and while moving the transfer car, injecting a lubricant into the bearings of the furnace car, preferably by a series of injections at fixed time intervals, to insure proper and complete lubrication.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for automatically effecting the lubrication of a furnace car which may be moved onto the tracks of a transfer car and transported with the transfer car along transfer tracks leading to the furnace in which the furnace car will be employed.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus associated with a transfer car for transferring a furnace car to a furnace which includes a lubricating system carried by the transfer car, with actuating means spaced along the transfer car track to cause a plurality of lubricating; injections as the ransfer car is moved over the actuating means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubri-- cating system for a furnace car which is simple in design, rugged in construction, and economical to manufacture.-

The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a partial top plan view of a furnace track system with improved means for lubricating the furnace car as it is transferred to the inlet side of the furnace by a transfer car as constructed in accordance with the in-, vention;

FIG. 1A is a partial sectional view of a portion of the trackway indicated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a transfer car with a furnace car positioned thereon with portions of each car being broken away;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the lubricating system for elfecting the discharge of a lubricant through the lubricating disks and into the bearings of the furnace car;

FIG. 4 is a schematic indication of the system for controlling the movement of the movable lubricating disks;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial transverse sectional view of the bearing and axle of the furnace car with the transfer disk positioned thereon.

Referring to the drawings in particular, the invention embodied therein deals with a method and apparatus for insuring the proper lubrication of a furnace car generally designated 10, before it is advanced into a furnace 12 in which it will be subjected to high temperatures. In FIG. 1 there are shown inlet tracks 14 which lead from transfer car .tracks 16 into the furnace 12. The transfer car tracks 16 are in most instances arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the axes of a plurality of such furnaces as indicated 12, 12a, 1211, etc. Additional transfer tracks (not shown) are arranged to extend in a similar manner on the discharge end of the furnaces. The furnace cars are usually moved from the transfer track located at the discharge end of the furnaces back to the inlet side of the furnace on cross tracks 18. The furnace cars 10 are usually loaded with articles to be treated in the furnace while they are on the cross tracks 18. Then the furnace cars 10 are moved from the cross tracks 18 onto tracks 20 which are defined on a support or dock 21 of a transfer car generally designated 22. For this purpose the transfer car 22 or the tracks 18 usually carry suitable bridging elements 24 for facilitating the transfer from the track 18 onto the track 20.

As best indicated in FIG. 2, the transfer car 22 is a wheeled vehicle and includes a frame 24 having corner bearings 26, 26 and 28, 28 for rotatably supporting axles 30 and 32, respectively. Wheels 34 carried by the axles 30 and 32 are movable along the track 16.

In accordance with the invention, the transfer car 22 carries lubricating means including four fluid cylinders 36, with one arranged at each of four separate locations at positions at which they will align with the respective ends of furnace car axles 38, 38 of the furnace car 10. Each fluid cylinder 36 carries a piston (not shown) having a rod 40 which carries at its outer end a cover member or disk 42 (see FIG. 5) which is moved outwardly from the associated cylinder 36 into engagement with a respective end of a respective axle 38 when the furnace car 10 is positioned in alignment therewith on the transfer car 22.

The cylinders 36 are actuated through a separate fluid pressure system particularly indicated in FIG. 4 by a suitable positioning actuating means such as a limit switch 44 having an actuating element 46 which is disposed, for example, along the trackway 20 of the transfer car for actuation by one of the wheels 46 on the furnace car 10 when the wheel is located at the lubrication station.

Each disk 42 is provided with lubricating conduit means including a lubrication passage 48 which extends from a side thereof which is connected through a tubing 50 to a lubrication supply tank 52 (see FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). The opposite end of the passage 48 terminates in an orifice 54 located centrally in an end face 56 of the disk 42. The orifice 54, in the operative position indicated in FIG. 5, will be aligned with a passage 58 defined in each axle 38 which communicates with a bearing 60 for the axle. Lubricant will be directed through the orifice 54 and into the passage 58 under the control of suitable actuating means either manually or automatically such as by a switch 62 connected to operate a solenoid valve 64 for controlling the pressure discharge from a fluid pressure pump or cylinder 66, as indicated in FIG. 4. In a preferred arrangement, the limit switch 62 is advantageously carried on the transfer car 22 in a position such that an actuating member 68, which forms part of the switch, will depend from the car and be operated or actuated by contact with a detent or cam member arranged along the trackway 16, as indicated in FIGURES 1 and 1A.

In accordance with a preferred method of operation, lubricant is directed into each bearing 60 as the transfer car 22 is moved along the trackway 16. The limit switch 62 is actuated by the actuating member 68 contacting the first cam 70. A plurality of additional cams 70a, 70b, 700, etc. are provided along the trackway 16 before each of the entrance or inlet tracks 14 in order to provide for lubrication injections at periodically spaced intervals.

In this manner it is possible to insure that the lubricant will enter the bearings 60 and will be able to flow to fully fill the bearings before the furnace car 12 is delivered for entrance into the furnaces 12.

The lubricant is advantageously a mixture of a kerosene and graphite which is stored in the container or tank 52 which is carried on the .transfer car 22 (FIGS. 2 and 3). An agitator or paddle wheel 72 is rotatable in the tank 52 in order to insure that the lubricant is homogeneous and ready for use at all times when the transfer car is operating. A suitable driving transmission 74, as indicated in FIG. 3, is provided for driving the agitator 72 from the axle 32 (FIG. 2).

When driving pressure is supplied to a pump 76 from the actuator 66 which is controlled by the solenoid 64, pressure is directed through a pressure line 78 containing the lubricant from the tank 52 to cause liquid to be expelled through the various orifices 54. As indicated in FIG. 3, the lubricating system includes a return sump collecting system comprising troughs 80 which are arranged below each disk 42 in a location to receive any excess lubricant or drippings and to return them through return lines 82 to a sump 84. A gear pump 86 is arranged in a return line 88 to return lubricant from the sump 84 to the tank 52.

The fluid system for operating the fluid cylinders 36 to extend and withdraw the disk elements 42 is indicated in FIG. 4. A compressor 90 is arranged to discharge into an accumulator 92 which services a fluid pressure line 94 for the actuator 66. The pressure line 94 connects into a manifold 96 and it, in turn, is connected through a supply line 98 to a solenoid valve 100 which is operated from the switch 44. In accordance with a setting of the solenoid valve 100, pressure is admitted to one or the other side of the fluid cylinders 36 in order to either extend or retract the disks 42. A suitable pressure gauge 102 and relief valve 104 are provided on the manifolds 96. Maximum and minimum pressure switches 106 and 108 also connect into the manifold 96 to provide safety devices for the system.

The described device may be operated to provide for the automatic lubrication of the furnace car 10 whenever it is positioned on the transfer car 22. The apparatus is such that the disk members 42 will automatically be moved into engagement with the end faces of the axles 38 of the furnace car 12 and lubrication will be directed into the bearings thereof. The cam elements 70, 70a, 70b, etc. are positioned to initiate and control injection of lubrication charges as the transfer car 22 is advanced along the track 16. In this manner, it is insured that the furnace car 10 will be lubricated sufliciently before it is directed into the furnaces 12, 12a, 12b, etc. and any danger that the bearings will be burned out will be substantially eliminated. The cam elements 70, 70a, 7%, etc. may be spaced so that the lubricant is carried around in the bearing 60 between injections.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the inventive principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A transfer car for transferring and lubricating a furnace car for delivery to a furnace through which the furnace car is adapted to be directed comprising a wheeled vehicle having a support with a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car, at least one lubricating station defined on each side of said trackway for lubricating each end of at least one axle of a furnace car, said lubricating station including a fluid cylinder, at piston slidable in said cylinder, a disk member connected to said piston and movable toward and away from the trackway in accordance with the sliding of said piston, a lubricating conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in an orifice adapted to be aligned with a lu ricating passage in an axle of the furnace car, and means for selectively directing fluid to selective sides of said piston within said cylinder for moving said disk member toward and away from engagement with an axleof the furnace car, and means for initiating the discharge of a lubricant through said lubricating conduit means when said disk member is engaged with an axle of the furnace car.

2. A transfer car for transferring and lubricating a furnace car for delivery to a furnace through which the furnace car is adapted to be directed comprising a wheeled vehicle having a support with a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car, at least one lubricating station defined on each side of said trackway for lubricating each end of at least one axle of a furnace car, said lubricating station including a fluid cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a disk member connected to said piston and movable toward and away from the trackway in accordance with the sliding of said piston, a lubricating conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in an orifice adapted to be aligned with a lubricating passage in an axle of the furnace car, means for selectively directing fluid to selective sides of said piston within said cylinder for moving said disk member toward and away from engagement with an axle of the furnace car, and actuating means for initiating the discharge of a lubricant through said lubricating conduit means when said disk member is engaged with an axle of the furnace car.

3. A transfer car for transferring and lubricating a furnace car for delivery to a furnace through which the furnace car is adapted to be directed comprising a wheeled vehicle having a support with a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car, at least one lubricating station defined on each side of said trackway for lubricating each end of at least one axle of a furnace car, said lubricating station including a fluid cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a disk member connected to said piston and movable toward and away from the trackway in accordance with the sliding of said piston, a lubricating conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in an orifice adapted to be aligned with a lubricating passage in an axle of the furnace car, and means for selectively directing fluid to selective sides of said piston within said cylinder for moving said disk member toward and away from engagement with an axle of the furnace car, and means for initiating the discharge of a lubricant through said lubricating conduit means when said disk member is engaged with an axle of the furnace car, including switch means actuable after positioning of a furnace car on said transfer car.

4. A transfer car for transferring and lubricating a furnace car for delivery to a furnace through which the furnace car is adapted to be directed comprising a wheeled vehicle having a support with a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car, at least one lubricating station defined on each side of said trackway for lubricating each end of at least one axle of a furnace car, said lubricating station including a fluid cylinder, a piston slidable in said cylinder, a disk member connected to said piston and movable toward and away from the trackway in accordance with the sliding of said piston, a lubricating conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in an orifice adapted to be aligned with a lubricating passage in an axle of the furnace car, and means for selectively directing fluid to selective sides of said piston within said cylinder for moving said disk member toward and away from engagement with an axle of the furnace car, and means for initiating the discharge of a lubricant through said lubricating conduit means when said disk member is engaged with an axle of the furnace car including switch means on said transfer car, and means disposed along the path of movement of said transfer car for actuating said switch means.

5. A transfer system for transferring a furnace car in relation to a furnace or oven into which it is adapted to 'be directed comprising a furnace car having at least one bearing supporting an axle with a wheel, said furnace car being movable over a first track, a transfer car movable over a second track and having a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car thereon which may be aligned with the first track for the direct rolling transfer of the furnace car from the first track onto the trackway of the transfer car, lubricating means on said transfer car adjacent said trackway including a member movable to engage said axle of said furnace car, said member having lubricating conduit means for forcing lubricant to the axle bearing of the furnace car.

6. A transfer system for transferring a furnace car in relation to a furnace or oven into which it is adapted to be directed comprising a furnace car having at least one bearing supporting an axle with a wheel, said furnace car being movable over a first track, a transfer car movable over a second track and having a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car thereon, which may be aligned with the first track for the direct rolling transfer of the furnace car from the first track onto the trackway of the transfer car, lubricating means on said transfer car adjacent said trackway including a member movable to engage said axle of said furnace car, said member having lubricating conduit means for forcing lubricant to the axle bearing of the furnace car, a disk member, a fluid cylinder having a piston slidable therein and connected to said disk member for moving said disk member toward and away from said trackway for engaging and disengaging said furnace car axle, a conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in a discharge orifice adapted to be aligned with the lubricating passage defined in said axle, a lubricating passage defined in the axle of said furnace car leading from an end thereof to said bearing, and fluid pressure means for forcing lubricant under pressure through said conduit and out said orifice through said lubricating passage to the bearing of said furnace car.

7. A transfer system for transferring a furnace car in relation to a furnace or oven into which it is adapted to be directed comprising a furnace car having at least one bearing supporting an axle with a wheel, said furnace car being movable over a first track, a transfer car movable over a first track, a transfer car movable over a second track and having a trackway defined thereon for receiving the furnace car thereon which may be aligned with the first track for the direct rolling transfer of the furnace car from the first track onto the trackway of the transfer car, lubricating means on said transfer car adjacent said trackway including a member movable to engage said axle of said furnace car, said member having lubricating conduit means for forcing lubricant to the axle bearing of the furnace car, a disk member, a fluid cylinder having a piston slidable therein and connected to said disk member for moving said disk member toward and away from said trackway for engaging and disengaging said furnace car axle, a conduit defined in said disk member and terminating in a discharge orifice adapted to be aligned with the lubricating passage defined in said axle, a lubricating passage defined in the axle of said furnace car leading from an end thereof to said bearing, and fluid pressure means for forcing lubricant underpressure through said conduit and out said orifice through said lubricating passage to the bearing of said furnace car, a plurality of actuating elements located at spaced locations along said second track, and switch means carried by said transfer car disposed for actuation by said actuating means as said transfer car is advanced along said second track for initiating the discharge of lubricant through said conduit.

8. A lubricating system for a transfer car comprising a plurality of fluid cylinders, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, a member carried by said piston and movable therewith for engagement with an axle of a car to be lubricated, said member having a conduit defined therethrough terminating in an orifice for alignment with a passage in the axle to be lubricated, and fluid pump means for moving the pistons in said cylinders to move said member into engagement with an axle and for thereafter causing the flow of lubricant through said lubricating conduit for discharge through the orifice into the axle, a collecting sump located adjacent each movable member in a position to receive excess lubricant discharge therefrom, a supply tank for lubricant connected to said pump means, and means for returning lubricant from said sump to said supply tank.

9. A lubricating system fora transfer car comprising a plurality of fluid cylinders, a piston slidable in each of said cylinders, a member carried by said piston and movable therewith for engagement with an axle of a car to be lubricated, said member having a conduit defined therethrough terminating in an orifice for alignment with a passage in the axle to be lubricated, and fluid pump means for moving the pistons in said cylinders to move said member into engagement With an axle and for thereafter causing the flow of lubricant through said lubricatirlg conduit for discharge through the orifice into the axle, including switch means actuable by positioning of a furnace car to initiate the flow of fluid under pressure to said fluid cylinders and to thereafter initiate flow of lubricant to the lubricating conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL ROTHBERG, H. S. BELL,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. A TRANSFER CAR FOR TRANSFERRING A LUBRICATING A FURNACE CAR FOR DELIVERY TO A FURNACE THROUGH WHICH THE FURNACE CAR IS ADAPTED TO BE DIRECTED COMPRISING A WHEELED VEHICLE HAVING A SUPPORT WITH A TRACKWAY DEFINED THEREON FOR RECEIVING THE FURNACE CAR, AT LEAST ONE LUBRICATING STATION DEFINED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID TRACKWAY FOR LUBRICATING EACH END OF AT LEAST ONE AXLE OF A FURNACE CAR, SAID LUBRICATING STATION INCLUDING A FLUID CYLINDER, A PISTON SLIDABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, A DISK MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID PISTON AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE TRACKWAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SLIDING OF SAID PISTON, A LUBRICATING CONDUIT DEFINED IN SAID DISK MEMBER AND TERMINATING IN AN ORIFICE ADAPTED TO BE ALIGNED WITH A LUBRICATING PASSAGE IN AN AXLE OF THE FURNACE CAR, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DIRECTING FLUID TO SELECTIVE SIDES OF SAID PISTON WITHIN SAID CYLINDER FOR MOVING SAID DISK MEMBER TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH AN AXLE OF THE FURNACE CAR, AND MEANS FOR INITIATING THE DISCHARGE OF A LUBRICANT THROUGH SAID LUBRICATING CONDUIT MEANS WHEN SAID DISK MEMBER IS ENGAGED WITH AN AXLE OF THE FURNACE CAR. 